Down in the Underground
by Fearless miko
Summary: Sarah returns to the Labyrinth two years after its defeat at her hands to find it in shambles. Why is it falling apart and where is the Goblin King? Rated 'M' just in case.
1. Chapter 1

_Jareth... Jareth... Jareth!_

Sarah ran through the twists and turns of the Labyrinth, slapping branches out of her face and narrowly dodging boulders, dislodged stones and broken pieces of random debris as she mentally and visibly strained for some sign of the Goblin King.

It looked as if the maze had weathered a tremendous Hurricane with everything broken and in pieces. The great stone walls were chipped, bricks missing altogether while pieces of shattered stone littered the walkways.

A dreadful silence prevailed, unlike the normal sounds of cheerful wildlife that she remembered hearing from before. The ground itself seemed to be crying out in alarm and Sarah felt the Labyrinth cry out, too from a place deep within herself. She had not acknowledged this part of herself in a very long time but now that she had, all her senses were focused entirely upon it in panic.

Where were her friends? Where were the guards? Where were all the fantastic creatures that lived in the walls, the trees, the woods? Something was definitely amiss.

Her mind chanted his name like a mantra, fearing the very worst as tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. Why had she waited so long to contact her friends? Why hadn't she noticed their visits becoming more further and further apart?

_Oh Jareth, please. Please Jareth, be ok!_

As she turned the corner to the place the four guards usually stood, her nerves were set on end to find the two doors cast aside and in pieces while the men that usually stood at the gate were missing. Two narrow, gaping holes were all that remained.

There on the left, she spied the fake block on the ground that she knew would collapse and take her to the helping hands.

Mind made up, Sarah stepped forward without hesitating and when she came to the collapsible block, she intentionally jumped on it with all of her weight, stomping like an elephant.

Just as she'd suspected, the block fell through and she felt as she was suddenly caught by several black hands coming through the walls.

"Thank goodness!" she cried, leaning into their grasp with relief etched all over her face. "I'm so glad to see you guys! What happened to everyone? Where's the Goblin King?"

Four hands came together to make a face near her feet. "We don't know, Lady Sarah. He has not been felt in the Labyrinth in a long time."

Another face formed near her head and she craned her neck upwards as it spoke.

"We would be interested to know how you got here. We have not seen a runner since you defeated our King," it asked suspiciously.

"Yes," another deep voice continued to her right. "It is considered trespassing for one to enter the Labyrinth without the express permission of our King."

Sarah shivered. These were not the helping hands she remembered. None of them were joking, none of them were laughing and so far, all the faces made by the hands were dark and foreboding, unlike the silly, goofy faces she remembered from before. Now, they were serious, suspicious, angry looking and their grip was decidedly firmer from what she recalled from her last visit.

"I...I had a dream," she answered hesitantly, unsure of how much she should reveal.

"A dream?"

"Yes, a dream," she managed, blushing. "I...remembered some things that happened last time and...well, I wanted to talk to Jareth. I _need _to talk to Jareth," she corrected, looking down at the abyss below her at her confession. "But when I called for him, nothing happened, not even when I wished myself away!"

There was a collective muttering to one another as the hands considered this new variable. It was obvious what the girl wanted to say, even if they didn't have eyes to assess her reddening cheeks. They collaborated a path of action as she began to squirm in their grip and another face near her own continued.

"That is because you no longer have that power, Lady Sarah," he explained wisely, wincing as her face instantly paled.

"I no longer have what power, exactly?" she asked softly, already knowing the answer.

"You've read the book, girl. Don't tell us you've forgotten _that _line."

Sarah sighed and bit her lip, willing her tears not to fall. "The King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he'd given her certain powers."

"Correct."

"So...he doesn't love me anymore and...and I don't have the power."

The hands remained silent and Sarah closed her eyes against the tears. The pain was unbearable. It was excruciating. Her cheeks filled with heat and her head throbbed as she willed herself not to cry and failed.

Once she'd collected herself, albeit not by much, she continued, though not without a slight tremble to her voice as she continued to cry. "To a-answer your q-question, I us-sed the mirror."

"The mirror?" A face to her left questioned, this one in much gentler tone than the others.

"Yes, the mir-ror, in my b-bedroom. Now, take me down-uh!" she ordered, her voice breaking on the last word as she sobbed. There were no taunts, no jibes, no laughter as she was slowly lowered down to the bottom, not dropped like last time. She barely even noticed the gesture, as the sound of her sobs echoing off the walls was all she could hear until she was finally lowered into the absolute darkness of the oubliette.


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah lowered herself to the stone ground of the oubliette and cried her heart out until her nose was entirely stopped up and her lungs hitched with every intake of breath. She laid on her stomach with her arms supporting her head.

It was too late. She had waited too long and he'd given up on her. If she hadn't been so selfish, if she hadn't been so ignorant, she would have realized what he was offering her long ago. Two years later, she had only just realized it and only because of that strange dream. If she hadn't of had it, she never would have realized her mistake. Now, she wished she hadn't seen the vision of herself living happily with the Goblin King, Jareth, baring his children.

Life above ground was sucking the very life from her soul. She was 16 when she came to the Underground the first time to save her baby brother, Toby, when she learned all the fantasies she'd read about were actually real.

She was just a kid then, too young to realize what a gift this world was, what a gift a life like that was. She didn't realize what Jareth was saying, had no basis for comparison.

Now that she was 18 she lived on her own. She had been kicked out of her house a year after coming back from the Labyrinth and now she spent 40 hours of her week waiting tables to pay the rent on her cheap apartment in a crummy neighborhood.

It seemed she'd forgotten all about the Labyrinth and her friends after that, the memories having just left her mind entirely for some odd reason, until that dream. The dream she woke up crying his name with fresh tears on her face. The dream where she realized what he was really offering.

_And I turned him down! I'm such an idiot! But in the end, how could I have ever thought I deserved him? I'm a waitress, for god's sake. What gorgeous and powerful Fae king wants a filthy, human waitress for a wife like me?_

After exhausting herself with her sobs, Sarah must have fallen fast asleep, because the next thing she remembered was waking up in the pitch darkness. She blinked sore eyes several times before remembering where she was and giving up as a wave of heartache washed over her.

It was over. Jareth wanted nothing to do with her. If she was lucky, he might be chivalrous and not kill her. Her mind tried not to think about what she would be going home to if she returned, her work, her over due rent, a father that listened only to his manipulative wife and an estranged brother who had been raised to resent her by her step mother, Karen.

Tears stung her eyes again at the thought of what her life and been turned into. Her heart was broken and her dreams were crushed. Still, the Underground had to be better than what awaited her back home.

_I will not go back. I will stay here, even if Jareth doesn't want me anymore. I still love the Labyrinth, I still love this world. I can make a life here, I know I can._

Mind made up, her fingers fumbled for a pack of matches lodged deep within one of her boots.

Within seconds, light illuminated the cave and flickered against the stone walls. Sarah quickly found an old, dusty candle and lit it before surveying the ground for the old, wooden door.

She found it buried under a pile of rumble and placed it against the spot Hoggle had the last time, feeling the slightest bit of relief when it opened to what looked to be the right passageway.

Taking the candle with her, she proceeded through the stone faces giving their 'false alarms', as Hoggle had said.

"Don't go on!"

"This is not the way!"

"Take heed and go no further."

"Beware. Beware."

"Soon, it will be too late."

"Beware! For the path you take will lead to certain destruction!"

"Mmmm-hmm," she answered them idly as she quickly passed them by and into the hall she and Hoggle had almost been killed by the cleaners.

There was no light like before, nothing. The candle's light dimmed and flickered, threatening to go out as Sarah continued on dismally, trying to shake off the cold fear that raced along her senses. She stayed close the right hand side, her hand trailing along the wall, waiting for the break she knew would lead to the ladder and back into the heart of the maze.

Other than her own footsteps, her own breaths and the sound of the candle's flame, the only other sound was that of an occasional droplet of water hitting a puddle somewhere ahead.

What had seemed to take minutes to her last time stretched on for what seemed like hours and she continued walking, waiting for that break. For a moment, she wondered if it had been repaired since she left and felt her stomach drop at the thought; if it had, she would have no way of knowing how to get out of this tunnel, but right as she was about to turn around, she felt the break and sighed a sigh of immense relief.

_Good to know I will at least live to see daylight again._

She blew the candle out and put it in her back pocket in case she'd need it again before gripping the ancient wood and hauling herself to the top.

The wood groaned under her weight as she carefully climbed her way up, one step at a time.

Just as she was reaching the top, there was a deafening crack and her fingers slipped off the next rivet. Her heart leapt into her throat as she felt her body plummet to the ground from a height she knew could kill her.

There was a searing pain as she felt her body impact with the ground and a sickening crunch as her leg was broken. Her head whipped against the ground during the impact as everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah groaned as she began to regain consciousness and was immediately assaulted with a tremendous amount of pain. Her head pounded in her ears and when she tried to sit up, there was a sharp pain coming from her spine, forcing her to lay back down on the...pillows?

She strained her eyes to open, blinking against the light against her face. _Fire?_

As the blurriness subsided and her vision cleared, she found it was a fire. Not only was there a fire, but she was laying on a make-shift pallet and her leg and been reset and dressed while she slept. On a stone next to the fire sat an old, stone mortar and pestle filled to the brim with some type of ominous, dark, sticky paste.

It was night time and the sound of crickets chirping chorused throughout the woods. The trees hissed as the wind swept through their branches. The flap of wings announced the ascent of some bird off to her right, but other than that, there were no sounds to indicate who had helped her.

"H-hello?" she croaked out, finding her voice sore from disuse. A twig snapping nearby followed by the sound of footsteps crunching against leaves had her heart pounding in her chest.

"Who's there?" she called out, trying to sound threatening despite her wounded state and the terror that now griped her heart with an icy fist.

A gruff, familiar voice answered, putting her fears immediately to rest. "Hmph, is that any way to greet your rescuer?"

"Hoggle!"

"Ooohhhhw, don't move!" he scolded her gruffly, bending a knee so they were eye level. "Your leg is broken in two places, I just reset it. Your back is hurt, too, though only time will tell how bad that is and you got a pretty nasty concussion. Just what were you thinking, coming back here on your own? You're lucky you're not dead!"

Sarah forced herself to smile despite the pain. It really was good to see her old friend. "I was worried."

"You were worried? About what?"

"About you, of course! And Sir Didymus, Ambrosious, Ludo and...and Jareth."

Sarah watched in amusement as his thick eye brows rose comically in surprise. "What in the name of the Underground were you worried about him for?"

"Well, I tried to call for you guys through the mirror and it didn't work. Then I called the Goblin King and he didn't come, so I tried wishing myself away..."

"You _what_?" he cried in surprise. "You should know better, of all people, you should have learned your lesson the last time you wished something away to this place!"

"I know," she answered softly, her eyes filling with tears. "But I wanted to come back, Hoggle. I wanted to come _home_."

Hoggle sighed. This was harder than he thought it would be, scolding her for risking her life by coming back only to nearly die in the process. He just couldn't stand the sight of her tears, they were always his undoing.

"There, there," he tried to comfort her, patting her on the arm awkwardly. "I'm sure everything will work out in the end. I really am glad to see you, I was just worried. And I'm sorry we didn't answer your call, it's just, well, the Labyrinth took a turn for the worst when you left and things are alot more dangerous, as you've probably already guessed. We've all been so busy trying to stay alive that getting to the magic mirror has become all but impossible."

Sarah took a long, hard look at her old friend, then, realizing how much older he looked. His skin looked thinner, as if had been stretched too far across his face while his eyes were sunken in. His lips were so chapped they had cracked in several places and there were bruises and cuts marring his hands, arms, neck and face.

His little vest was fraying around the edges from years of use while the dye had faded dramatically and the rest of his attire sported various rips, tears and stains.

Fury unleashed itself in her heart seeing his disheveled state and knowing the rest of her friends were likely in a similar condition.

"What's going on, Hoggle? Why is the Labyrinth in pieces and where are all the creatures that used to live in it?"

"No, no, no. That's a long story and one that can be told once you've taken your medicine. I don't particularly like having to choke pain killers down an unconscious woman's throat so it'd be nice if you took it willingly for once. Then I want you to eat. You've been sleeping for almost two days, you know."

"Two days? Really?" She really didn't think it had been that long since she fell off the ladder.

But the least she could do was cooperate, so she swallowed the dark, sticky liquid obediently as she was told ( it tasted horribly ) followed by several large gulps of water and chewed the smoked meat her friend tore off for her piece by piece. There was also a strange type of nut that tasted similar to salted pecans and a bread that was uncomfortably hard, but she didn't complain.

Next, she watched as he gathered a small, wooden bowl from the ground she had missed in her observations before, this one filled with some type of bright green liquid. She watched idly as he poured it over a large piece of cloth, straining to pay attention as her eye lids grew heavier and heavier under the medicines effect.

By the time he'd turned towards her with the poultice completely prepared, she had already drifted off into sleep.

Hoggle rolled his eyes in amusement but he was glad the medicine was working well enough. At least she wasn't in any pain, though it was cute how little it took to knock her out like a light.

He lifted the covers and carefully unwrapped the strips of fabric he used to wrap her leg. ( he'd had to cut through her jeans to get to the leg in the first place, so he used that fabric to bind it ) It was swollen and bruised, but it would heal.

Next, he placed the medicine-soaked fabric directly onto the break and proceeded to re wrap the material from her pants tightly over it to hold it in place.

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief in her sleep and Hoggle grunted in approval. When he was satisfied with her situation, he leaned against his own chosen rock by the fire and allowed himself to doze off into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunrise came early for the pair by the fire. Hoggle was the first to wake, immediately taking to the woods to relieve himself and gather some food for breakfast. He took care not to wander too far from the make shift camp and consequentially Sarah should anything happen.

Sarah blinked groggily as the effects of the medicine lingered in her system, keeping the pain of her wounds at bay. Idly, she licked her lips, wincing as her tongue passed over a cut on her bottom lip she had missed the night before. She figured she must have had it between her teeth when she fell and it split when her head impacted with the ground.

She tried not to think about Jareth but as she thought about the state of her other friends in the Labyrinth and what condition they were currently in, she couldn't help but wonder if Jareth was to blame for their misfortune. If he was, why was he destroying his own kingdom?

She couldn't understand it. Sarah loved the Labyrinth, loved the beauty of it, the majesty, the mystery. It was a fantasy, one she had spent many, many hours day dreaming about before she had ever stepped foot here. She had missed its scent, missed the scenery.

She couldn't imagine why Jareth would wish for its destruction or why he wouldn't do everything in his power to prevent it. Her heart cried out for the Labyrinth and wished with all her heart she could see it repaired.

Hoggle came back from the woods after finding some wild berries and gathering enough to tie them both over until after noon. As he stepped into camp, he immediately halted in step at the sight of Sarah laying in bed surrounded by a patch of recently bloomed wildflowers and bright, green grass that was currently shooting up from the ground all around her.

"H-how are you..._what _are you doing?" he asked, abruptly pulling her from her thoughts.

"Hmm? I was just...oh," she answered in surprise, noting the plants continuously springing up from the ground. "What's happening?"

"You tell me! It's happening around you, what were you just thinking about?"

"Oh, well, I was just thinking what a shame it was that the Labyrinth was falling apart and how much I wish I could see it repaired."

Hoggle's eyes widened in shock. _Her will has the power to transform the Labyrinth. That could only mean..._

"What? What is it? Is something wrong?" she asked, afraid of his expression.

"No, nothing. It's just odd, that's all."

"I'll say," she nodded in agreement. Suddenly, she was accosted by sparkling gold light that seemed to spawn out of nowhere and wrap itself around her leg, back and face.

"Hoggle...?" she asked in alarm, fearing to move as she watched the light twist around her appendages. "What is this stuff?"

Hoggle shrugged and watched in awe, helpless to stop it as the light traversed his friend's body.

Sarah could feel a warming sensation sweep across her wounds until the light faded, leaving as quickly as it appeared. She tried to moved her leg experimentally and found there was no pain.

She sat up with ease, noting that her back didn't hurt anymore and pulled the covers off her legs. Her fingers prodded her shin carefully, finding it was completely healed.

"It fixed me!" she cried out in wonder and disbelief as her feet stepped onto the ground and she stood with no problem. Looking down, she found herself in a strange dress, much like the white one she used to wear all the time when she was acting out the Labyrinth in the park, only this one was dark green and the sash around her waist was gold. The sleeves belled down almost to her knees while the skirt was long and flowing, just like she liked it.

Glancing across camp to her friend, she found him staring wide eyed and slack jawed.

"Hoggle? What just happened?" she asked tentatively, not liking the look on his face one bit.

"You just became the Queen of the Labyrinth, that's what!" he exclaimed, pointing to the space above her head.

Sarah started hard at her friend as her hands came up to her head, impacting with a solid, metal object. She pulled it free and stared at the golden crown embedded with a large Emerald on the front in disbelief.

"Wha...What does this mean?" she asked incredulously as her reflection started back at her through the jewel. She found her hair had curled slightly in loose waves around her shoulders while several golden leaves were interspersed throughout the midnight black locks.

Hoggle stomped over to her quickly, abandoning the berries on the ground as he snatched up her left hand, sighing audibly with what seemed like relief before dropping it.

"What was that about? Why did you want to look at my hand?"

"Because I wanted to see if he gave you a ring."

"A ring?"

"Yes. If he had, it would mean you became Queen because you both desired to be together. But since there is no ring, it means the Labyrinth chose you, not Jareth."

Sarah felt a familiar pang of heartache as his words sunk in. _So they Labyrinth wants me but Jareth doesn't. How ironic. Well, at least this gives me leverage if Jareth decides he has a problem with me living in the Underground._

With that, she placed the crown on her head and proceeded to gather the abandoned berries. She situated herself comfortable on her pallet and started eating as if nothing had happened, while Hoggle continued to stare in disbelief.

"What?" she asked after swallowing her first bite. "I'm not going to go hungry over it. I already decided I would spend the rest of my life here and besides, if my will has the power to fix the Labyrinth, I have a lot of work to do!"

Hoggle swallowed hard, forcing himself forwards to sit at her side and taking his share of the berries.

She giggled at his continued incredulous expression. "Look at it this way. If I hadn't been healed, you would've had to help me relieve myself. Let's just thank our lucky stars it happened _before _that awkward moment."

Hoggle couldn't help but agree. At the same time, he had to admire her ability to take the phenomena in stride; he'd lived in the Labyrinth his whole life and never seen anything like it.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, let's start with the most basic," Sarah began after finishing her breakfast of berries and spring water. "What areas of the Labyrinth have deteriorated the most? What should I fix first?" she asked carefully.

Hoggle sat back on his haunches and thought about it for a second. The maze itself had not seen a runner since Sarah, so he doubted there would be a need for that any time soon. But the Goblin City had an entire society living off it and there were more people living there than any other part of the metropolitan save the castle itself.

More than that, he needed to get Sarah to safety. The Goblin City was the safest place and the quickest way to Jareth. Though he hated to admit it, the King could provide the ultimate protection if it was required of him. He would not risk loosing her because he was not able to set aside his pride.

Why his majesty had not recognized her presence yet in his domain and come to gather her himself was beyond him, especially seeing as how the Labyrinth had named her its Queen. Surely, the King was aware of this transaction but judging from his lack of activity, Hoggle could only surmise that the he remained oblivious and it was now up to him to see to it that she reached the castle without harm.

The Labyrinth was at war. The castle itself had taken blows, the battle breaching the gates of the Goblin city on one occasion in particular. Jareth himself had taken to the front lines, devastating their numbers in great blasts of magic that left the ground scorched.

Their forces had held and finally, won the battle but the scars remained. Most of the men in the village were off protecting some other piece of Jareth's territory under attack as his remaining army fought to hold back renegades and wondering platoons of militia.

Even now they were in danger of being found, captured or even tortured by wondering enemy forces, however vigilant the King's attempts had been to keep them at bay. Sarah's new power as Queen, along with the crown she wore, only made her more of a target to the enemy.

Though he was loathe to trick his friend, he knew the woman's stubborn nature well. Were she told she had to flee to the castle to save her own hide, nothing would stop her from objecting and he had no desire to provoke the ire of her will, especially not endowed as it was to change the landscape around him. Anger would not help them on this journey.

"Well, the Goblin City needs the most help. It's a day's journey from here and you could fix things on the way, I suppose, since it lies nearly in the heart of the Labyrinth."

Sarah nodded and then looked about them. There were sitting on a grassy hillside off to the side of the maze. From here, she could see the ancient courtyard where the old man resided on his chair next to a giant, ornate vase where the ladder was leading to before she fell. Thinking of this, she remembered something.

"Hey! How did you get me out of the tunnel? I mean, the ladder was broken, right? And no offense, but I imagine my body would be pretty heavy to carry around all by yourself. How did you manage it, Hoggle?"

A bright blush was her answer and Sarah bit her lip to keep from laughing as he toed the dirt interestedly. "Well, I, uh...The old man was right there and...and..."

"The old man?" Sarah questioned.

"Well, yes. He has magic, you know and I don't...well, I can't really..."

Sarah nodded. "So the old man used his magic to port me out of there and onto this hillside?"

Hoggle nodded.

Sarah eyed him carefully. "What did you give him as payment, Hoggle?"

"Ohh, nothin, just-"

"Where are your jewels?" Sarah suddenly exclaimed, noticing his bag of precious gems missing from his belt. As she put two and two together, her face softened. "Oh Hoggle, you gave all your jewels away just to get me out of there? You really are a good friend," she exclaimed warmly, hugging him tight.

Hoggle blushed and pushed her away. "You know better than to hug me," he chided her halfheartedly.

"Oh really?" Sarah teased with a grin. "At least it wasn't a kiss!"

Hoggle's eyes went wide. "Don't you even think about it! I don't want to be anywhere near the Bog again! And don't you think for a second that just because we haven't seen the King around in a while that he won't suddenly appear at the first chance to punish _me_!"

Sarah laughed, the sound like tinkling bells across the land. Once she'd calmed her mirth a bit, she set about to looking around herself again.

The stone walls of the maze above the tunnels were cracked and crumbling. The Hedge maze was dying off. The castle at the center of the Labyrinth looked dark and gloomy.

With a pout, Sarah closed her eyes and brought back the picture in her mind's eye. Once she had the image fixed in her head, she began making alterations and even added quite a bit to the original state of things.

Hoggle watched, transfixed, as first the stone maze began to rebuild itself. The stones came together quickly and then changed to a deep blue color still covered in a mystical glitter. He watched as their rough surface began to smooth out until a shining, glittering, polished surface remained like none he'd ever seen. It was a rich blue like the night sky and held just as much quality as a Sapphire from his collection.

The old man's throne was transformed as well, leaving behind a large, mahogany wooden chair overlaid with dark blue silk cushions over the arms and seat. He slept on, seemingly oblivious to the changes happening around him.

Large, ornate, broken vases were reassembled as moon flower vines bloomed and spilled over their sides, filling the air with the sweet scent of honeysuckle. Brass poles curved like large candy canes lined the walls, ending with a goblin-like hand tipped with claws that clasped brass chains which supported large dishes of oil that burned with fire. The Hedge maze grew back completely and was now interspersed with Rose vines, Irises and Star-Gazing Lillies of all colors.

Next, Hoggle heard a rushing sound and jumped back from Sarah as a tidal wave of water passed right at her feet, creating an instant river from thin air that wound around the maze like a giant, beautiful spiral, providing all creatures residing around the area with water. It somehow managed not to interfere with the maze itself and Hoggle squinted to get a better view at how. The river stopped some twenty feet before the maze began from their position off to the side and was fed into an intricate stone irrigation system that spiraled around the maze, through the castle and back into the river, which made a wide circle around the perimeters of the maze.

He couldn't help being impressed. As the river settled to a slower pace and began to churn in a more natural way, he relaxed a little bit, choosing to sit on a rock and eat his own breakfast as he watched Sarah work her magic.

Fruit trees grew out of nowhere and bore ripened fruit, flowers blossomed in rows to cover all the walls, growing along ornate trellises that appeared as they were suddenly needed.

Trees sprang up all around, creating a forest on every inch of the Labyrinth. One sprang up in front of Sarah and grew within seconds to tower over her, its mighty boughs stretching into the air like spindly, wooden arms. Flowers bloomed on its branches, then quickly withered away into seed before turning into large, ripened peaches whose sweet scent carried on the wind and made Hoggle's mouth water.

"Feeling nostalgic?" he teased when at last the tree was fully grown. Sarah merely flashed him a mischievous grin as she continued manifesting her will as Queen.

The sounds of wildlife picked up, beginning with the sounds of birds singing overhead, flocks of them taking flight from the trees while exotic, glittering fish from the new stream leapt from the water high into the air before landing safely back in the river.

Herds of galloping horses could be heard racing through the land off in the distance, though they sat too far away to view them firsthand.

The next sound that followed caused Hoggle to forcefully swallow the mouthful of berries he had just eaten.

Sarah, too, had opened her eyes to stare at the sky in fear, her mouth slightly agape.

The otherworldly screeching sound had silenced but in its place came the thundering sound of flapping wings, furiously beating against the air. The ground trembled more with each beat as the creature seemed to be headed straight for their direction.

"What have you done?" Hoggle bit out exasperatedly and Sarah shook her head.

"I-I didn't mean to!" she defended quickly. "No sooner had the thought popped into my head than I heard that sound-"

"Ohhh, stupid girl! Run! Unless you want to be eaten-"

"No," Sarah interjected with such a steady voice that Hoggle wondered at her lack of fear. "Things are not always what they seem in this place. You can't take anything for granted."

Hoggle rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Who listens to that rubbish? I'm for _surviving_!" With that, the dwarf disappeared behind one of the many trees Sarah had summoned, though she took notice that he had chosen a position close to her and while he was indeed out of sight, he was no less at risk than herself. _'A coward, yes,' _she thought, '_but a loyal friend, as well.'_

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	6. Chapter 6

Jareth returned to his quarters battle worn and exhausted. His legs carried him, half stumbling, into the lavatory where he scrounged up the strength to bathe himself properly. The hot water relaxed his sore muscles, though it stung fiercely against the flesh wounds he had sustained.

Magical exhaustion was his largest of problems at the moment. He had expelled quite a bit of damage, he mused, flashing a momentary predator grin of victory at the memory of the opposing forces being laid to ruin.

The largest of battles had been won. He could relax for a time; they were victorious. The leader of the mongrels had been slain by his own hand without Jareth ever even taking the time to learn his name. He would have it that all in the Underground would know the penalty of daring to plunder his Labyrinth or the surrounding lands under his protection.

It had certainly gone on long enough. He had first heard of the rebels nearly three years ago. The first two years were spent diplomatically raising the topic at court and gaining favor with the residing Lords to combine their forces. The siege itself had lasted a year.

The Labyrinth had suffered in his absence. He could feel it, just as he felt the rise and fall of the breath in his body. She was brittle and crumbling, neglected his attention and the love needed to kindle her fires.

A mate. A wife. A companion... The High King had urged him more than once now to take a bride. An heir to the throne to follow after him would soothe his kingdom and quiet any fears of him dying without succession as well as give new life to the land. For the land could not survive without love, just as the soul could not survive...

Jareth sighed deeply, feeling a familiar hollow pain in his chest. He was dying and the land with him. He could no longer use his magic to regenerate the damage done to the Labyrinth; the cracks in the foundations ran too deep for him to seal. Whenever he tried, he was overcome with that horrible emptiness and couldn't seem to drive away the haunting image of her face. The cracks seemed to him the very cracks of his heart she had left in the wake of her passing.

_'Sarah, my beautiful Sarah. How I miss you so.' _

Without thought or reason, his hand made the gesture to summon a crystal. Cursing his weakness, he was about to shatter it against the wall when something caught his eye. Gazing into the orb, he realized it was the unnatural shimmer of dragon's scales that had gained his attention.

His Sarah, his beautiful Sarah, was glowing. He couldn't help the widening of his eyes as he took in her regal form. A dress spun of the richest evergreen, her hair sparkling with the golden leaves of Autumn and on her head shone a golden crown, jeweled with a large, dark Emerald.

A wicked grin spread across his face, revealing a set of sharpened canines. _'Sarah, my Queen, it's only forever.'_

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	7. Chapter 7

The sound came closer and before long shadow loomed in front of Sarah, silhouetted against the light of the sun. She breathed in sharply her fear and bit her lip to keep from screaming as a massive dragon propelled itself to her position.

It was solid black, like obsidian, the shiny scales catching the light of the sun to glisten with a beautiful, ominous light. Treacherous looking spikes lined the tail, swinging perilously through the air with every great beat of its reptilian wings.

It released another roar, this one so dreadful it seemed to rip the very fabric of sound itself. Huge jaws unclenched to reveal a set of razor sharp, massive teeth that no doubt would have little trouble biting a two-story bus in half were they still in her world.

Sarah felt her knees tremble but still she stood her ground. She refused to run, reminding herself that this was a creature she had created with her own mind. Surely, she knew it better than a wild animal or beast.

She was a moment away from being devoured, closing her eyes tight for the blow, when the strangest thing happened. There was a soft gust of wind and a heavy thud, as if a great weight were being settled followed by...nothing.

Sarah peeked one eye open, followed by the other to stare in awe. The dragon had landed at her feet and was...bowing to her!

Indeed, its great, massive head was settled on the ground before her, its wings folded back in a gesture that seemed almost polite.

A deep rumble reverberated through the air, vibrating the ground she stood on. Sarah wasn't sure, but she thought she understood the sound to mean, 'Your Majesty.'

Feeling she should not forget her manners, her hands found the edges of her gown and fanned them out before her as she bowed into a low curtsy. "The pleasure is all mine, dragon. I am called Sarah. Might I have the honor of your name?"

The dragon rose its long neck, towering over her but Sarah felt it was not in a superior way. Closer up as she was, she could see that the scales were not black, in fact, but shone with a shimmering, rich indigo only revealed when the light reflected off them just so. The eyes were a brilliant yellow, the pupils a single black slit encased in the intense color so that they almost seemed to glow.

Another low growl sounded and she grinned her delight at understanding while Hoggle stared incredulously at the conversing pair before him, peaking out from behind his chosen tree. Since when did Sarah not only understand, but speak the tongue of the dragons?

"Meridwen of the dragons, I am pleased to make your acquaintance," she drawled lightly. "My friend and I were just making our way to the Goblin City in the hopes of gaining audience with the Goblin King. Perhaps, if it does not inconvenience you too greatly, you wouldn't mind doing us the honor of accompanying us to the throne?"

A hissing sound, interspersed with various growls and snarls was all Hoggle could make out from the creature and all the more he felt that Sarah's life was in peril. But she stood there unmoving, unafraid and answering from words it was apparent that only she could distinguish! He wondered to himself if the Labyrinth had given her this gift when it deemed to make her its Queen or if it were an ability she was merely born into. To his knowledge, not that it was great, there had been no Fae Queen to possess such an ability before her.

His eyes took in the scene before him and it was only then that he appreciated what he saw for its beauty. Sarah stood tall and graceful, garbed in a gown of the deepest of emeralds, her black hair unbound and flowing to her hips. Golden flecks of light reflected off her raven hair where various leaves were scattered. A dainty golden crown sparkled to match, jeweled with an Emerald that matched her dress.

One long, delicate arm had outstretched as the massive, dark dragon bowed before her again and he watched, awestruck, as she reached out to fearlessly and lovingly stroke the brightest of its whiskers as affectionately as if she were coddling her favorite pet.

Then she was calling his name, waving him over to her with a smile on her face and amusement clear in her voice. And he came to her in spite of his fear of the dragon because he could not resist doing as she bade and the joy her approval would bring to him.

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	8. Chapter 8

Sarah clung with all the might of her thighs to Meridwen's backside, her hands finding leverage in one of the many spikes making up the dragon's thick mane. Hoggle was panting behind her, his eyes wide with fear as he took in the distance they were from the ground.

The kingdom of the Labyrinth was spread out before them. She could see for miles and miles, making out the landmarks of the stone maze, the hedge maze, the forest, the Bog and finally, the large, looming gates of the Goblin City. Campfires littered the ground in various places, creating lines of smoke in the air.

She watched, bemused, as all the goblins idling about in the city stopped what they were doing to stare upwards in awe at the massive creature flying over them. Meridwen chuckled, too, while Hoggle remained silent with terror of being up so high.

They soared over the city and straight for the the castle, moving so fast that Sarah feared they might plunge head long into it. But at the last second, Meridwen made a sharp upward curve to climb skyward that had Sarah clinging for dear life to the closest spike, while Hoggle held onto her in turn.

Meridwen landed on the tallest spire of the castle. Sarah bowed deeply her gratitude once she and Hoggle were both on safe ground once again. "I am in your debt, Meridwen. I thank you for a such a safe, swift and generous journey such as you have provided. Have you ever need of me, I am at your service."

Meridwen returned her bow in kind. _'And I you, Queen Sarah.' _

She watched him push off the edge to plummet dangerously toward the ground, outstretching his great wings at the last second to soar onwards over the city. Once his form had at last disappeared into the sky, she turned to Hoggle, her eyes shining.

Her voice was soft when next she spoke but he felt it was no less than a direct order from his Queen. "Take me to the King, Hoggle."

At last he could see in her the yearning he had seen in Jareth all those years since she had last run the Labyrinth. And when his eyes caught by some trick of the light to fall on her hand, he swallowed hard at the ring he found on her marriage finger, a ring she was not yet aware even existed.

So he did what any good subject would do, what any good friend would do; he said nothing, but turned on his heel to descend the stairwell of the tower that would lead to the castle halls and finally, the throne room.

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